The Cover Story for "Beyond the American Dream"
This is the story of how I got a cover.
I wrote a memoir and it comes out on April 23rd. I invested a lot of time on the manuscript, going through several rewrites and edits. The cover was an afterthought.
I don't have an eye for art. I avoid museums because I get headaches attempting to make sense of what makes each particular piece worthy. I appreciate it when someone takes the time to explain the how and the why.
How was this created?
Why is it so special?
I’ve always loved a good backstory.
When it comes to my preferences, I stopped trying too hard to understand art and adopted a simple heuristic:
"If I like it, then it's good enough".
It helps me to sleep at night, and grants me peace of mind.
I apply the same formula when I get asked:
What's good art?
What's good music?
What's good wine?
Maricar and I differ on many of these subjective questions. I’m surprised we agreed on the same wedding song. In case you are curious, this was it:
When I asked for book cover feedback, people brought in their unique perspectives, experiences, and biases to the table. Each person focused on a different aspect, interpreted meanings, or connected with various elements, that resulted in a kaleidoscope of thoughts and opinions. There were no wrong answers.
Finding a unanimous book cover winner was impossible. I went through at least 30 cover mock ups... 3 different designers.
People judge books by their cover, or at least they decide whether to open it up or not. I felt the pressure to make sure people gave it a chance.
This was supposed to be an enjoyable process and it was causing me anxiety.
What if I chose the wrong one?
What if it turned people away?
I channeled my "good enough" mantra.
Is the title legible?
Any typos?
Is it misleading?
Why this?
I liked the fonts on the background.
The colors were pleasing.
I wanted to have "us" on the cover because it wasn't about the places we visited, but about being together through these experiences.
Why the “Abbey Road” type walk?
I tried a number of different cut outs to represent our family. Should we be gazing into the distance, walking hand in hand, huddled up…striking a pose? I decided on walking. We do it so much and I could even write a whole book about walking, exploring, being curious…
We had a sense of urgency, but we weren't in a rush.
Why the black silhouettes?
How many times did I type silhouette into a search and spell it wrong?
I thought about using a sketch, an animated drawing, commissioning a drawing, a real life photo, and I landed on this.
The black silhouettes represent us but they are also "cut outs". I think our story and experiences are unique, although the call to action encourages others to explore a life beyond their set path.
I wish I could include a disclaimer that says "insert yourself here".
Will others recognize the message? I don't know.
Again, art is subjective. I do hope people give it a chance and get inspired to think beyond their prescribed path.
already read it :)
I would have chosen the same cover. Best layout and presentation.